10 rock stars turn winemakers: AC/DC to Dave Matthews

A look at the vineyard rebels

by Deborah Muller - Sept. 13, 2011 03:47 PMSpecial for The Republic

There was a time when a famous rock star's accessories du jour were a nubile blonde on one arm and a buxom brunette on the other, but now it's increasingly likely his hands are wrapped around a corkscrew and a bottle of his vanity-label wine.

The image of a rocker clutching a bottle of tequila or vodka is clichéd, but cradling a Cabernet? Swirling a Sangiovese? Rhapsodizing over a Reisling? More and more rockers are jumping on the bandwagon (as opposed to falling off the wagon) of musicians who own a winery, vineyard or wine brand.

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AC/DC / AC/DC The Wine

AC/DC is the latest group of rockers leaping feetfirst into the wine cask. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have announced they're teaming up with Australian winery Warburn Estate to produce four varieties of wine: Back in Black Shiraz, Highway to Hell Cabernet Sauvignon, Hells Bells Sauvignon Blanc, and You Shook Me All Night Long Moscato. One of the world's highest grossing bands, AC/DC apparently wants to replicate those sales with their legion of fans and oenophiles.

Perhaps it's a sign of maturity. Although many a rock star is stuck in a perpetual state of juvenile behavior, others are embracing the business acumen and sophisticated palate that comes with survival. The times, they are a-changing (yup, even Bob Dylan is honored by an Italian red wine named Planet Waves). Here's a partial list of some musician-cum-vintners who have traded in being holy terrors for cultivating holy terroir.

David Coverdale / Whitesnake Wines

The hard rocking heavy metal hair band Whitesnake had a hit with Wine, Women an Song, and if there ever was a song title turned reality, it was this one. Whitesnake found fame in the 1980s and 1990s, followed by a gaggle of groupies, and now have their wine: Whitesnake 2008 Zinfandel. With grapes grown in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, the wine goes for $32 a bottle, a fair price as lead singer David Coverdale describes it on the De La Montanya website as "a bodacious, cheeky little wine, filled to the brim with the spicy essence of sexy, slippery, Snakeyness (sic)." Will it make you do gymnastics on car hood a la video vixen Tawny Kitaen? Doubtful, but it does pair quite nicely with roasted rack of lamb.

Mick Fleetwood / Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar

Fleetwood's most successful solo project since Fleetwood Mac has been his wine making venture. The Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar range of wines is the product of his collaboration with different winemakers and wineries (including Mike Brown of Lucas & Lewellen in Santa Barbara and Firestone in Santa Ynez) to produce several varietals with grapes grown in California and Washington state. The drummer's website states that Mick likes his wines mellow, never too tannic or bitter - so someone better warn former band mates Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

Dave Matthews / Blenheim Vineyards

Virginia is for lovers . . . wine lovers, that is. Blenheim Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia has been owned by the "Crash Into Me" singer for more than a decade, and several of his family members are involved in its day-to-day operations. Food & Wine Magazine exec wine editor Ray Isle recently blogged that a good bottle to try is the fragrant 2010 Viognier ($19). The winery also offers tastings seven days a week and extras such as cheese tasting classes and art installations.

Arizona's very own celebrity vintner has roots that go deep: Maynard James Keenan's grandparents and great uncle made wine in northern Italy. The reclusive lead singer of rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer, Keenan created the Caduceus Cellars label for his Merkin Vineyards located in Northern Arizona. While the winery is named after an ancient symbol for commerce, the vineyard, in true rocker form, is named after a pubic wig. Keenan also owns Stronghold Vineyards in Cottonwood. Check out the 2010 documentary "Blood Into Wine" [TRAILER] to see how Keenan and his business partner are hoping to turn the state's Verde Valley into the next Napa Valley.

Jonathan Cain / delaCain Vineyards

Best known for his keyboards and songwriting roles in the rock band Journey, Jonathan added winemaker to his resume in 2006 when he partnered with Healdsburg, CA winemaker Dennis De La Montanya to release several wines to benefit Bay Area children's charities. A few years later, Cain, De La Montoya and a third partner Daryl Groom (a wind insider who was awarded Winemaker of the Year by several publications) opened delaCain Vineyards, which currently puts out Chanconne Pinot Noir, All Access Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and Finale Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps a nice after-dinner glass of "Oh Sherry" is in the winemaker's future?

Boz Scaggs / Scaggs Vineyard

After more than a decade of cultivating and tending his certified-organic Napa Valley estate, the American singer/songwriter/guitarist Scaggs debuted his elegant, limited-production French-style red and rosé wines under the Scaggs Vineyard label in 2006. He grows classic southern Rhone varietals such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah which pair perfectly with his classic rock.

Mick Hucknall / Il Cantante Wine

The former lead singer of the British band Simply Red collaborates with winemaker Salvo Foti to produce Il Cantante (The Singer) Wine. Hucknall carries out his new vocation in the Motherland of winemaking, Italy. From grapes grown in the volcanic earth near Mt. Etna in Sicily, the singer with the flame-colored curls and wide vocal range produces well-reviewed whites, rosés, and - wait for it - simply reds.

Olivia Newton-John / Koala Blue Wines

Perhaps inspired by her role as Sandy - the Aussie good-girl gone bad in Grease - actress-singer Olivia Newton-John went after another thing she pined for when she co-founded Koala Blue Wines in 1983. One can imagine Newton-John singing as she tasted the fruit of her first harvest, "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee, lousy with acidity," for the results are wines that are characterized by their "un-cluttered, fruit dominant bouquets, and fresh, clean palate structures." Koala Blue wines harvested in South Australia are currently available only in the Southern Hemisphere. | PHOTOS

Les Claypool / Claypool Cellars

What does the lead singer of alt-rock Primus, the writer of the South Park theme song, and owner of Claypool Cellars know about making wine? Well, according to the winery's website, the man who's called the Russian River Valley in Northern California home for the last 14 years, admits to simply wanting to make some "fancy booze" for himself and his friends. The 2008 Purple Pachyderm made from grapes sourced from the Hurst Vineyard in the Russian River Valley quickly sold out after release. Claypool Cellars Pink Platypus is available on pre-order, and the name alone is almost worth the cost. Drink a glass or two with some food in order to avoid seeing pink elephants.